To determine whether Oxygen hoods improve O2-saturation (SaO2), and how they effect length of hospitalization, and in-hospital mechanical ventilation and mortality rates in Covid-19 patients when compared to conventional high-flow oxygen delivery systems. Oxy-hemoglobin saturation is continuously measured by pulse-oximetry including immediately before and after oxygen hood placement, and will be measured in controls.
Comparison/Control Group The control cohort includes COVID-19 patients presenting for treatment prior to 4/3/20 when hyperbaric oxygen hoods were not available. Patients maintained on, or those failing on conventional O2- delivery systems and subsequently receiving mechanical ventilation will be studied.
All patients included must have tested positive using PCR swabs and/or been diagnosed based on clinical/laboratory standard diagnostic criteria. Medical management will include evolving treatment regimens and other standard medical treatments widely used at time of study in all hypoxic COVID-19 patients.
Prognostic/confounding covariates are to be collected through Electronic Medical Record (EMR) chart review and compared between intervention and control cohorts. including: Age, Body Mass Index (BMI), Gender, Chronic Lung disease - COPD, Asthma (CLD), cardiovascular disease - CAD, CHF, Chronic Dysrhythmia (CVD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), Immunosuppression - History of Cancer, Immunosuppressive medication, HIV (Immunosuppression), Diabetes Mellitus (DM), and pertinent lab markers.
Routine follow-up evaluation is maintained until final in-hospital outcomes are known including:
1. Oxygen Difference pre/post-hood (SaO2 difference, %)
2. Intubation/MV status (Intubated)
3. Survival/Mortality (Expired)
4. Hospital Length of Stay (LOS, days)
Randomization/Blinding Randomization is not possible as it is unethical to deny a hypoxic patient an alternative approved means of oxygenation for patients failing on conventional oxygen delivery systems. No blinding of participants or investigators.
